$2m boost for Massey animal and vet research
massey-university
Fri Sep 21 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
$2m boost for Massey animal and vet research
Friday, 21 September 2007, 5:11 pm
Press Release: Massey University
Friday, September 21, 2007
$2m boost for Massey animal and veterinary research
Massey University has welcomed news it is to receive $2 million Government funding for a project to enhance New Zealand’s veterinary and animal science research capability.
Nearly $8 million will be invested over the next two years to boost research capacity in the high-priority areas of nursing, veterinary science, and information and communications technology, Tertiary Education Minister Michael Cullen announced today.
The funding is being allocated through the latest round of the Building Research Capability in Strategically Relevant Areas Fund. Dr Cullen says veterinary science, like nursing and information communications technology, is an issue of major strategic importance for the nation but has not always attracted enough investment to build a strong research culture.
University Vice-Chancellor Professor Judith Kinnear says the investment in research capability enhancement is most welcome. “It would be expected to contribute to national goals given the importance of the livestock and bloodstock industries.”
The lead applicant on the University’s behalf, Professor Grant Guilford, Head of the Institute of Veterinary Animal and Biomedical Sciences, describes the investment by the Government as a wise one.
“Veterinary and animal science research advances animal welfare, protects the nation's biosecurity and biodiversity, improves food safety and underpins the animal production industry, which contributes more than $11 billion per annum at the farm gate to the economy,” Professor Guilford says.
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“The BRCSRA money will be used to establish a series of funds to promote collaborative research programmes in selected areas of national importance, a cell biology unit to enhance access of applied veterinary animal scientists to fundamental research techniques and a training fund to assist academic staff to complete their PhD training.
“Together with the large infrastructural investments made recently by Massey University and AgResearch in the Hopkirk Research Institute, the BRCSRA investment will lead to a significant and enduring increase in New Zealand’s veterinary and animal science research capability.”
ENDS
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